Coming Home Retry
by PeetaisGoode
Summary: This is a short fic taking place right after the end of THG when Katniss and Peeta are arriving home in D12.


Coming Home

This is a short fic taking place right after the end of THG when Katniss and Peeta are arriving home in D12. When I first posted this story as "Coming Home", it didn't work, so now I'm calling it this. Also, this is my first fanfic ever, so I'm a little skeptical about my writing. Please review!

***All characters in this fanfic belong to Suzanne Collins, who is awesome!**

Katniss POV 

As the doors of the train slide open at our grubby train station, I should be overjoyed by the fact that I, against all odds, have survived the Hunger Games. 

But all I feel is guilt. Pain. Regret. Why couldn't I have, for thirty seconds, been able to explain to Peeta; charming, caring, and now sad and empty Peeta, what exactly I feel for him.

I know for sure that I'm not indifferent. There were times in the cave where I felt so giddy, so comfortable with him, and I felt the same happy twinge deep in my gut, the same flare of love that he felt for me. _Oh, Peeta, what I wouldn't do to be able to take some of your pain away_. I wish that I had some of those leaves from the arena, the ones that drew out the venom from the tracker jackers' stings. They could suck away all of his hurt.

I'm yanked back to the present by a flash of white in front of my eyes. Oh, Right. Cameras. I glance quickly around, analyzing, checking to see if any nosy, pathetic, Capital reporters have captured my brief lapse in attention on camera. Luckily, not, for their attention has been caught for a few moments by Haymitch stepping off the train behind me.

He has had his share of the cameras and questions as well, having succeeded in bringing not one, but two tributes home from the Games. I glance over at him. Obviously not sober, but not terribly wasted. While his shirt is untucked, and his hair ruffled, his face is clean, he looks okay, and I guess that is all that really matters anymore. Appearance and how we are perceived is our biggest concern right about now, I mean, with the Capital out for my blood and all that.

I feel a warm, strong hand take my own, and glance up to see Peeta's deep blue eyes boring into mine. How is it possible for someone's eyes to say so much?

I am marveling at their depth when he whispers in his smooth, soft, way, "Katniss, hey, you with us?" I start and look away, praying to a god I don't believe in that I'm not blushing too obnoxiously. He smiles a bit, for the cameras, but then his eyes focus on something over my shoulder. He frowns for half a second, and then perks right up and grins, showing his white, slightly crooked teeth. Come on, this is District Twelve, we don't have dentists here.

I hear a voice, a voice that I've only dreamed of hearing again, scream my name from somewhere in the throng of people surrounding us. I straighten up, peering around, searching for Prim in the crowd. I can picture her thin, lovely face, and straight, blond hair, falling out of a wispy braid that trails down her narrow shoulders like rain in the spring. Then I see her. But something's off. She absolutely towers above the crowd. I squint, and then gasp, a shocked "Oh!" coming out of my perfectly glossed mouth, my CAPITAL glossed mouth. And then I laugh, the sound bubbling up out of my lips, a perfectly natural laugh around all this falsity. Prim is riding on Gale's broad shoulders.

"Kaaatniss!" Prim squeals, stretching her slender torso and arms towards me. I practically rip her from Gale's shoulders and hug her tight. I can feel my eyes start to sting, and I briefly consider holding my tears back, but this is my beautiful sister, back safe in my arms. My lower lip wobbles, and then I burst in sobs. "P-p-prim! I m-missed you so…," I trail off, giving up on words, and just hug her again. When I finally pull myself together enough to get words out, my mom comes up beside us and joins our embrace.

I pull away slightly and just look at them, an occasional tear dripping down my face. They both look well fed, and healthy, aside from tired and red eyes. Gale kept his promise to me. _Gale!_ I whip around and sigh, seeing him waiting patiently a few feet away. "Oh, Gale!" I say, and then I throw my arms around his neck.

I inhale the musty scent of the woods, the sharp scent of his leather jacket, and the fresh scent of apples and…home. He hugs me back, pulls me tight against his chest, and whispers my name. I reach up and carefully take his face in between my palms. I stare into his strong, familiar, face, watching as his lips curve into a smile. "Hey, Catnip." I smile back and then turn to my family, being sure to keep a hold of his strong, tan arm.

Haymitch saunters over, placing his hand on my shoulder, nods at my family, and directs me back to Effie. I scan the crowd for Peeta, and my eyes land on him just in time to see one of his older brothers take him in a headlock and ruffle his blond curls. I watch this reunion for a few minutes, until his other brother nudges Peeta, and says loudly, "Hey Peet, you should probably get back to your _girl on fire_, she looks anxious to hold your hand again!" Peeta shakes his head slowly; acting disgusted by his brother's behavior, but, smiling, comes over and joins us.

"Okay," Effie twills, "Katniss, Peeta, we have a big, big, night ahead of us, so I'm gonna go see to the arrangements with Mayor Undersee about the dinner tonight, and I want you to go with Cinna and Portia to start your prep." Peeta and I follow Cinna and Portia into the Justice Building, where we will be dressed for the welcome back dinner. As my prep team starts making a few changes to my makeup and other various things, I let my mind drift away to Prim, my mother, Gale, and finally Peeta. Even after all that just happened, I am in the same place I was an hour ago; worrying about Peeta, the Games, and what is to come in the next few days. But this time, I am comforted by the fact that I have my family and friends to help guide me through these troubling times.


End file.
